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Editorial: Beacon Hill spending sprees must stop

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

Spending other people’s money is addictive, and unfortunately for Massachusetts, our state Legislature is hooked.It’s with this understanding that we both applaud the business leaders calling on Beacon Hill to dial back expenditures, and fear that it won’t make any difference.“The drastic increase in government spending over the past five years is a growing concern for our future competitiveness and may detrimentally impact the long-term fiscal health of Massachusetts,” the heads of nine business groups said in a letter to Gov. Maura Healey and legislative leaders released Tuesday by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.As business leaders, they know that the actions of today affect tomorrow’s outcomes – the future of their companies and their workers depend on it. But for Bay State pols, today’s massive spending is but a precursor to tomorrow’s cash outlays meant to offset the damage.State officials are ramping up the fiscal y...

Ridley Scott wages war spectacularly in ‘Napoleon’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

Ridley Scott serves up dazzling spectacle in “Napoleon,” a historical drama about the French general played with comic and dramatic flair by Academy Award-winner Joaquin Phoenix. It’s hard to top a beginning that features a bloodthirsty mob cheering the guillotining of Marie Antoinette. How far are we from such horrors, one wonders?Scott, screenwriter David Scarpa (“All the Money in the World”), cinematographer Darius Wolski (Scott’s “The Martian”), production designer Arthur Max (Scott’s “Gladiator”) and the rest of the production crew have conjured up some large-scale military action we don’t see much these days. Soldiers in the thousands face each other across open fields. In the Battle of Austerlitz and an evocation of “Alexander Nevsky” (1938), Napoleon fires his cannons upon retreating Russians, fleeing across a frozen lake, drowning countless numbers, along with their horses. In the battle against the British occupiers of Toulon, a battle that earns hi...

Turkey hash a perfect one-pot meal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

What’s Thanksgiving without some leftover turkey? Even on those rare occasions when I’m not preparing the turkey, I still feel the urge to at least cook a turkey breast to have some leftover.This is a one-pot meal that tastes great the second day. Double the recipe if you have time and save the rest for another day. It also freezes well. Refrigerate or freeze the extra without the fried egg. Add the egg before serving.You don’t need to wait for turkey leftovers. You can buy roasted turkey pieces in the meat department or roasted turkey in the deli. If you buy deli meat, ask them to slice it thick so you can cut it into cubes.Fresh sweet potato can be used instead of frozen; microwave them 4 minutes before adding to the skillet.Roasted chicken can be used instead of turkey.TAG GOES HERETurkey HashINGREDIENTS3/4 pound frozen sweet potato cubes (about 2 1/2-cups)4 teaspoons olive oil, divided use1 cup sliced onion10 ounces cooked turkey boneless, skinless breast and dark meat cut into ...

Dear Abby: Teen’s ‘cheeky’ attire riles mom

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

Dear Abby: I am a fairly laid-back mom of a wonderful 13-year-old daughter. Her friends are nice kids, but some of them dress pretty provocatively. I have seen them wear super-short shorts that are very “cheeky” and tops that really expose their assets.We have been invited to a party at a friend’s home, and my daughter is allowed to bring a friend. The friend she has chosen to invite regularly dresses in very provocative attire, and I would feel more comfortable if I knew she was going to dress “appropriately” by my standards.I don’t know what to do. Should I talk to the parents? (Cringe!) Ask my daughter to tell her friend what the dress code is and to convey “Wear something that doesn’t show your butt cheeks”? Or must I ignore it and hope for the best? — Overexposed in Washington, D.C.Dear Overexposed: Many teenage girls let it all hang out in an effort to attract attention. I do not think you should talk to the girl̵...

Wrongful termination lawsuit alleges thousands of drivers may have been mischarged on San Diego toll road

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A lawsuit filed Friday alleges that thousands of drivers who have driven on State Route 125 may have been incorrectly charged on the toll roads.The lawsuit claims up to 45,000 drivers on the 10-mile stretch of toll road may have been affected.WarremComplaint111723DownloadThe findings come from a lawsuit filed against SANDAG, which claims the Director of Accounting and Finance Lauren Warrem had been "wrongfully terminated" a little more than a month after pointing out the suspected accounting issues.The suit said in September Warrem began noticing software system issues from State Route 125, which included financial inaccuracies on customer accounts. The suit gave examples of two potential issues allegedly noticed: "(1) Customer A deposited money into their toll account, but that money was credited to Customer J’s account. (2) When Customer B drove through a toll lane, the charge was incorrectlyapplied to Customer J’s account," the lawsuit states. Substitute teacher ar...

University City teacher faces new federal charges in attempt to entice minor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Sean Stevenson appeared back in federal court for new charges. With no camera allowed inside the federal court, Stevenson pleaded not guilty to possession of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor.Stevenson has retained criminal defense attorney Dana Grimes.Investigators discovered Stevenson during another sex traffic investigation in April involving the arrests of a pimp and a sex worker.Investigators said they found text messages between the worker and a San Diego number they allege was Stevenson’s.Court documents showed the number offered a “finders fee…if she could provide him with an underage prostitute.”The criminal complaint showed Stevenson texted an undercover officer who posed as a prostitute claiming to be sex trafficking her 16-year-old cousin. Substitute teacher arrested after suspected ‘inappropriate activity’ with teen: police Court documents showed Stevenson agreed to pay $140 for sex acts from the teen with a meet-up time and date.Offic...

San Diego resident dies from tick bite; health officials warn of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Health officials are warning the public to be aware of tickborne illnesses after a San Diego resident recently died from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. A San Diego resident traveled to the Baja California region before becoming sick and later dying, the County of San Diego Communications Office reported Tuesday. They did not specify an exact timeline. Invasive tick found in 19 states likely to be ‘long-term problem,’ Ohio researchers warn This is prompting San Diego County public health officials to raise awareness of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Rocky Mountain Spotted FeverHumans and dogs can contract the disease from a tick bite. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is treated with antibiotics most efficiently when a person is diagnosed within the first week. Those with the disease can develop a spotted red rash. Early symptoms include fever, headaches, and stomach upset, so health officials warn anyone with insect bites or who recently traveled to report it to a...

Lotto Max winning numbers for Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

TORONTO — The winning numbers in Tuesday’s Lotto Max draw for an estimated $40 million: 07, 13, 30, 34, 37, 38 & 42. Bonus: 35In the event of any discrepancy between this list and the official winning numbers, the latter shall prevail.The Canadian Press

South Korea partially suspends inter-Korean agreement after the North says it launched spy satellite

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea will partially suspend an inter-Korean agreement Wednesday to restart frontline aerial surveillance of North Korea, after the North said it launched a military spy satellite in violation of United Nations bans, Seoul officials said.The South Korean announcement — which will likely infuriate North Korea — came hours after the North claimed to have placed a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit in its third such launch attempt this year.The North’s claim hasn’t been independently verified; the Pentagon said it was still assessing the success of the launch, while Japan stated there has been no confirmation that the North Korean satellite entered orbit. But the United States and its allies still quickly condemned the North Korean launch, which they believe was meant to improve the country’s missile technology as well as establish a space-based surveillance system.North Korea says it has sovereign, legitimate rights to launch spy satelli...

Exploding wild pig population on western Canadian prairie threatens to invade northern US states

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:11 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — An exploding population of hard-to-eradicate “super pigs” in Canada is threatening to spill south of the border, and northern states like Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana are taking steps to stop the invasion. In Canada, the wild pigs roaming Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba pose a new threat. They are often crossbreeds that combine the survival skills of wild Eurasian boar with the size and high fertility of domestic swine to create a “super pig” that’s spreading out of control. Ryan Brook, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan and one of Canada’s leading authorities on the problem, calls feral swine, “the most invasive animal on the planet” and “an ecological train wreck.”Pigs are not native to North America. While they’ve roamed parts of the continent for centuries, Canada’s problem dates back only to the 1980s when it encouraged farmers to raise wild boar, Brook said. The market collapsed after peaking in 2001 and som...